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Advanced Graduate Certificate in Climate Change Communication
With climate emergencies impacting day-to-day operations throughout all sectors, professionals across industries increasingly require a solid understanding of climate policy and crisis management, equipping them with the knowledge to actively shape climate crisis response and effectively convey it to clients and stakeholders.
Drawing on courses in public policy, information design, and global health, the Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study in Climate Change Communication is designed for individuals with a master's degree who are looking to quickly upskill in the field of climate crisis response communication.
Applicants must possess a graduate degree in order to be considered for this program.Please note that courses completed in the certificate program cannot be transferred to a corresponding graduate degree.
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Build Skills for Career Success in Climate Change Communication
A advanced graduate certificate student will have the opportunity to learn the knowledge and skills to:
- Utilize disaster management history, policy development, and organizational management to understand how to prepare for future disasters and crises.
- Synthesize theories of intergovernmental relations and institutions to recommend policy programs and appraise future policy reform.
- Compare frameworks for environmental protection regimes and consider federal natural resource protections.
- Utilize a social justice and equity lens to understand the planetary health challenges we are facing and how this lens can inform more comprehensive solutions.
- Understand how to communicate fundamental ideas productively -- from developing to writing to delivering specifications, reports, and presentations.
- Understand how to develop a content strategy, conduct a qualitative content audit, develop controlled vocabularies and lexicons, and choose the right medium (text, image, video, social interaction) for their message.
- Consider and apply how persuasion impacts us, as individuals and as a society.
Advanced Graduate Certificate in Climate Change Communication Curriculum
Students are required to complete the following four courses to earn the certificate:
- MPPA 420 Disaster Management and Theory
- Two courses from the below:
- MPPA 432 Intergovernmental Relations
- MPPA 438 Environmental and Climate Policy
- MSGH 460 Planetary Health: Health in the Anthropocene
- One course from the below:
- IDS 403 Effective Communication
- IDS 407 Information and Content Strategy
- IDS 435 Persuasion and Strategic Communication
Review curriculum details while you consider applying to this program. Current students should refer to the curriculum requirements in place at time of entry into the program.
Admission
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Admission
A master's degree is required for admission to this program. For a complete list of requirements, see the Advanced Graduate Certificate Admission page.
Tuition
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Tuition
Tuition for Northwestern advanced graduate certificates is comparable to similar U.S. programs. Complete details can be found on the tuition page for this program.
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Additional Information
This program is intended for people with a graduate degree and some familiarity with Public Policy and Communication. Applicants wanting a more comprehensive course of study should consider the Master of Arts in Public Policy and Administration or the Master of Science in Information Design and Strategy degree.